Chương 1613: [1518] – Y07.018 – A World of Trouble VIII

Today, Malfev experienced a great pain. It was a pain he had never experienced previously. It was one thing for Jirot to bully him, her words were always harsh, but out of all the children, certainly her actions were the sweetest. Each of her siblings were sweet, but her aggressive sweetness perhaps surpassed any of her siblings. Little Jarot, however. Sweet little Jarot. Like his elder brother, Karot, and his youngest brother, Xarot, the boy was sweet, meek, and full of affection.

Yes, there were times when he assisted his sister in bullying, but he did not mean it in such a terrible way, not that she had meant it so, either, but she was vicious in the best of ways. Yet, today, with such a look within his eyes, and with such a fierceness, he spoke suchly for the first time to his own babo.

It was sweet little Jarot's words which cut him deeply, and this was perhaps his greatest sin, to the point even Mulrot glanced aside towards him in utter shock, unsure of whether she should assist her elder brother or reprimand him.

"I apologise, my dear greatchildren, but it is required," Malfev finally managed, speaking through the pain that was regret, but a regret he, and none of his companions, could afford.

"I shall return with a great gift."

"If I do not like it, I! I! I!" Jirot threatened, the girl's eyes then glancing towards her nanos, not just any nano, but nano Gangak and nano Mulrot, who were her favourite nanos, and were different than any other nano, for they were her father's grandmothers.

"Et tu, nanos?"

'To think she would even speak as foolishly as her father…'

"We must go," Gangak said, for perhaps other than their mother and their grandmother, she was ranked among the greatest who could deal with the likes of the one known as Jirot, even surpassing her other greatmother, by only a fracture of guilt.

"Huu!" Jirot cried.

"Babo! This is all your fault! It is because you are so weak!" The old Jarot blinked, his eyes darting between the other Iyrmen, but he killed the immediate thought which came to mind.

"Ah. Of course."

"Of coas," the girl confirmed, sniffling, wiping her wet eyes against her sleeves.

"Then, this weak greatfather of yours should go?" Jirot's mouth dropped, and a great cry filled the air, the girl's head buried within her eldest sister's chest, Konarot's eyes filled with such a defiant glare, the same kind of glare Jarot had seen when they first met, for in this moment, the girl needed to become that Konarot.

Even Kirot held her finger up towards her greatfather threateningly, all the while Karot held Jarot, who sobbed within his brother's chest, gently brushing his younger brother's hair, his face a mirror of his brother.

'I have made a grave mistake,' the old Jarot thought, but at the same time, weren't his greatchildren so cute? It was not his fault he wished to bully them so thoroughly. However, the Mad Dog may have been mad, he was not that much of a fool, so scooped his twins to his chest.

"This greatfather of yours will remain and play with you!"

"Babo!" Jirot sniffled, resting her head against her shoulder, sucking her thumb once more, clutching his shirt. Malfev inhaled sharply through a tight chest, but stepped towards the old man, and settled himself beside the girl. He reached out and brushed her cheek gently, the girl pulling away, but as she did so, she reached out a hand to grab at his finger, missing several times, until she turned to spy it, grabbing it, and then went back to ignoring him again.

Mulrot, too, felt the ache within her heart, but she remained to one side, for if she reached out for the girl, perhaps she would not step away to gain the title of Grandmaster. As the aching hearts of the children cast a great shadow within the estate, a figure approached within, noting the darkness within. He was an older man, long hair dyed red, streaks of white, clean shaven, a strong jaw, within fine silks, a longsword, a fusion of bone and metal, at his side.

"I thought to pay a visit before I returned to the Main Iyr," Iromin said, though noted the soreness around the childrens' eyes. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The children, however, stood in awe of seeing the Chief, rarely seeing him after moving to the Front Iyr. The old man radiated a great warmth, reaching out a hand to ruffle their hair, from those of a particular fool's children, to those of a different particular fool's grandchildren.

"Chief," Kavgak accused, pointing towards the older Iyrman, who had reached such a grand height.

"Yes," Iromin replied, reaching down to brush her hair gently.

"You are always so astute."

"Kavgak, chonky," the girl agreed. Iromin was fairly certain that was not what the word meant, but he nodded, allowing the girl her peace. He lingered a moment upon the Gak children, but his eyes then returned to the greater pressing issue, and that was seeing that within the children's eyes. After greeting the children, the Chief left, allowing them to wallow in such a darkness, for his visit had confirmed it to him.

'There can be no doubt,' Iromin thought, his eyes darkened. As he reached up to his forehead, he couldn't help but think of the mistake he had made. He had danced around the young half elf too carefully, and now, those who were obviously children of the Iyr, held a great darkness which continued to bloom so thoroughly within their hearts, even after the slaughter of the previous year.

As the days continued to pass, the children found their babos and nanos had prepared to leave, though they made sure to hold onto the children.

"You do not have to worry," Gangak assured, first dealing with the Gak children, whose hearts would not be quite as heavily wounded by her disappearance.

"Okay!" Kavgak replied, holding up a thumbs up towards her grandaunt, who was considered the greatest within their family, a Grandmaster. Mulrot also said her goodbyes to her own grandchildren, as well as her greatchildren, smiling so sweetly towards the all. As they finally approached a particularly vicious girl, she stormed her way towards them, grabbing their wrinkled hands, and though she wore such a look upon her face, she brushed their hands so tenderly.

"Babos! Nanos! If you are hurt, you must come back! Okay? My mummy, do you know? She is best at healing? In this whole world, my mummy is the best! Mummy she can heal so well, and she can heal you so well, do you understand?"

"Yes, of course," Mulrot assured.

"Of coas," Jirot confirmed, the girl closing her eyes for a moment, for if she did not, the tears would slip down.

"You must eat your food. You must not work too hard, okay? If I hear you are working too hard, I will come and you will see what I do, okay?"

"Yes," Gangak said, causing the girl to pout, but she embraced them all. Gangak also paid special attention to little Jarot, who flushed against her cheek, holding her close.

"When I return, you must tell me if your babo bullies you, for I will deal with him."

"Do you think-," Jarot began, but he stopped, for against Flame Brand, with his greatchildren within her arms, he could not speak up. Thankfully, a particular fool of a half elf also stepped out to greet his grandmothers and the rest of his elders.

"If anyone bullies you, you must tell my Jirot, and she will sort them out, isn't that right my dear?"

"Daddy, when you are right, you are right," the girl agreed.

"When I recover completely, I will beat them all up too," Adam said.

"Even if they are the Order of the Wings."

"That is right! Daddy will beat them up, even if they are the Order of the Wings!"

"It is not kind to beat them," Gangak said. Jirot blinked, taking a moment, but she retreated to her father's leg, clutching at his trousers.

"How can they bully my nanos?"

"Even if it is not kind, I will beat them," Adam assured, reaching down to ruffle her hair.

"Thankfully, the Order of the Wings are filled with such wise warriors, thus it is not needed."

"Thankfully…" Jirot muttered quietly. Adam held their gazes for a long moment, for he was almost certain he understood what they were going to do. Then his eyes fell to Chosen and Tanagek, who awkwardly stood, ready to accompany their elders away.

"Papos, you are going too?" Konarot asked.

"We must," Tanagek replied.

"I will entrust you my duties, little Kona," Chosen joked.

"Papo, I am too small," the girl replied, letting out a worried sigh, for if her papos were so unwise, would they not come across great trouble? Chosen blinked. He was fairly certain he had made a mistake, but he smiled.

"Ah, I see. Then, I shall entrust Jirot with my matters."

"Jirot is smaller."

"Eh?" Chosen blinked.

"She is?"

"Papo…" Konarot reached up to her face, covering it.

'Oh dear, oh dear.'

"Good luck, papo Tana, papo Cho," Kirot said, reaching up to hold their hands, the pair pulling her up, causing her to pout, but in the way which hid a shy smile. Karot glanced up towards them. Then the boy rushed away, and returned with a pair of folded papers, offering them to his uncles, who accepted the papers. Within the folded papers were pressed flowers, dried by time, each so pretty, each tender, yet none as tender as their nephew. Chosen furrowed his brows, causing Tanagek to side eye him.

'How did Adam manage to procure the sweetest of all the children?' Chosen even included little Virot, who was bullying her nanos for leaving, the girl storming off into the corner, sitting down and crossing her arms, choosing to ignore them. It was only upon Vonda's call the girl kiss their cheeks to say goodbye did the girl rush over and then smother them in affection, waving at them as they walked off.

Jirot watched them go, but as they stepped out of the estate, her cries filled the air, followed swiftly by the cries of other children.

"You worked hard," Adam said, for the girl had almost instantly crumbled when they had left, but she did not wish to worry them, even if her tears carried in the wind.